Float controlled meter



Jan. 9, 1,945.

W. F. SCHULTZ FLOAT CONTROLLED METER Filed Sept 2,1941

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 m N a Q INVENTOR A TOIZNE Y5.

Jan. 9, 1945. w. F. SCHULTZ 2,366,808

FLOAT CONTROLLED METER Filed Sept. 2, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zla Z7 Z6 55 Q INVENTOR V/LA/fiM E 667404 71 ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 9, 1945. w. F. SCHULTZ FLOAT CONTROLLED METER Filed'sept. 2, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheets INVENTOR WMA/AM AJcnmrz A T'TORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 9, 1945 "Fig. 1 is a frontelevationof [UNITED STATES {PATENT OFFICE] 2,366,802. ntoa'r ooN'rnoLLEnMa'rER William F. schiiuz, m omwis. 1 Amm n Septe er 2, ion, se im No. 409,160;

14 Claims. (01.

This invention relates to improvements infloat controlled meters. This is a companion tomy application filed May 28, 1941, SerialNo. 395,601,

now Patent 2,282,497.,granted May .12, 1942, and

is a further improvement over the inventiondisclosed in my Patent No. 2,202,606, granted May 28, 1940.. Many of the objects of the present invention are those specifiedinthe aboveidentified companion application. l r j w Broadly, it is an object. i the present invention to simplify a device of thischaracter, to reduce the cost of manufacture thereoflto increase its accuracy, and to eliminate many of its parts.

In accomplishing these objectives, it is my purpose to unify the valve and control structure in such manner that substantially the entire. mechanism is mounted by a single boltupon the partition between two metering chambers.

. ;It is a further purpose of the invention topro vide anovel and improved casing structure and control mechanism peculiarly designed and adapted to efiectuate the aforesaid purposes of the invention, with particular referenceto the elimination of friction as a source of inaccuracy,

. It isa further purpose of the present invention to provide a mechanism which is even more truly a direct actingmechanism in the sensethat the parts not only do not require to be latched and unlatched with respect to each other as was the case in my patented construction, but, additionally, the float operated levers act directly upon the valves in both directions of movement without requiring that motion be .transmittedthrough anyintervening part. a .1 1

It is a further object of theinvention to onprove and simplify'the valve headthrough the useof valve mechanism more particularly disa closed in another companion application entitled Valves, Serial. No. 409,161 @filed September 2,

1941. l i 1 i Other objects of the inventionwill appear in more detail from the following disclosure.

In the drawings: a meter embodyingthe invention.

l "w Fig.2 is aplan view thereof. l

Fig. 3 is'a plan view of the meter withits cover Tremoved.

" Fig. 4 is a view taken in section on line 4-1 of Fig. 1.

Fig.5 is an enlarged detail view taken in sec: tion on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailview in vertical transverse section of the operating and control being shown in front elevation. l

. umt, the register mechanism mountedpn the unit the fioatguideon the 11m: lll I of Fig. 5. a l 1 Like parts are identified bythesame reference characters throughoutthe several views.

The casingshown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive is of novel form specifically adaptedto promote the proper functioning of a meterof the character hereinafter to be described. The casing proper or base I5 has the shape of, a dumb-bell in. plan, as clearly appears from Figs. 2 and 3. At its respective ends. itis provided with generally cylin drical portions [6 and ,l'l between'which the front and rear walls l8 and I9 arejelativelytlose together and preferably disposedlin downwardly converging planes asclearly appearsfrom Fig. 3

andFig.4. j j

Substantially at the mid point. a partition 20 connects walls l8 and l9,thusdividingthe casing l5 into two like 'chambersmarked A andB re- Fig. 5, the control mechanism hereinafter to be described is mounted directlyupon the partition 20 by means of tubular bolt f2l, the interior of which communicates with an inlet conduit at 22 supplied from the rear bythe feed line 23 (Fig. 3)

The lower or base portion [5 which comprises the meter casingproper, is hermetically sealed by a top closure 25 of corresponding shape in plan,

'asbest appearsuponcomparison of Figs. 2 and 3. Centrally thetop closure 25 is provided with an integral upstandingsleeve at 28 provided at its upper end with a glass window 21 through which thedials of the register mechanism 28 are visible. As best showninFig. 6, theregister ismounted on brackets carried by {the main valve casting hereinafter to be described. {Centrally over each of the generally cylindrical portions [6 and ll of the chambers A and Bthetopclosure 25 is' provided with bell shaped upward extensions at'29 and 30, centrally s Cketed' toreceive the guide rods 31 and 32 respectively, upon which the floats their respective chambers A and B.

33and 34 are guided for vertical reciprocation in disclosed in the present application, the t dqr and 3.2 di f r somewh t fr t e.

the valve in crest section eign matter from the bearing surfaces of 'the sleeves, or, as may be more likely, the capillary resistance due to the viscosity of the liquid being metered is minimized by the fact that the bearing surfaces contact each other only rectilinearly at a few points peripherally of the rods. It is broadly immaterial what form is taken by the teeth which provide the bearing surfaces longitudinally of the rods, which need not necessarily be rectilinear, or their intervening spaces, which need not necessarily be fiat as shown in Fig. 11.

Exceptfor bottom surfaces which are slightly frusto-conical, the floats 33 and 34 are preferably semi-spherical in form. To assure positive response to any change of liquid level, the floats-are relatively large in diameter. The cylindrical form of portions i6 and ll of the chambers A and B accommodates these relatively large sized floats, while the more constricted passage between the front and rear walls 18 and I9 of the casing prevents the capacity of the respective chambers from being-too large (as would be the case if each chamber were, throughout its length, of the same width as the cylindrical ,portion' in which the respective float is located). At their lower ends the guids rods 3| and 32 are seated in socketed bosses formed integrally in the bottoms of the'respective chambers. v I

The floats 33 and 34 are not directly reciprocable upon the guide rods but, instead, are preferably mounted upon sleeves 35 which are not is oscillated between the full line position and the dotted line position shown at the right in Fig. 6, passes the plane of the seat, so that the opening or groove 56 provides communication through the seat, whereby discharge .occurs into the corresponding liquid chamber A or B. The valves are preferably spring-biased to their seats by compression springs and pressure blocks, as shown in Fig. 6.

As disclosed in the above mentioned companion application filed herewith, the valves may be universally movable, but for the purposes of the present application, the valve stems 53 and 54 are constrained to move rectilinearly by means of slotted plates 55 pressed into the ends of the valve casings 39, the slot being radial with respect to the center position of the stem as best shown in Fig. 9, so that all oscillation must occur in a plane common to each valve, and in which the valve actuating lever means oscillates as hereinafter described.

When the stem is centered with the axis of the .valve casing as shown in full lines in Fig. 6, the annular groove or opening 56 lies parallel to and wholly above the plane of the valve seat, but

when the valve is oscillated downwardly to' the position shown in dotted lines at the right of Fig. 6, the opening or'groove 56 extends through the plane of the seat from the interior tothe exterior of the valve, thus providing a passage through which discharge occurs. I

Projecting across the respective chambers A and B are the arms 65 and- 66 of float actuated bell crank levers pivoted at 61 and 68 to the casting 40, which serves as a frame for the control mechanism. Each of the bell crank levers 65 and 66 is preferably bifurcated to pass on both sides of the frame casting 40 in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 7 to minimize dis- 40 tortion, equalize stresses, and avoid friction. This only vertically reciprocable but also rotatable upon the respective guide rods. The rotation is important as a means of avoiding friction, as will hereinafter be explained. Each of the sleeves 35 has, adjacent its float, a relatively fixed collar at 36. At a point remote from the float it is provided with screw threads upon which another .collar 31 is adjustable, being held in adjustment by lock nut 38. v

The main control unit comprises a casting 46. It serves as a mount, or support for the inlet valve mechanism and the several control levers, as well as theregister 28. The casting, 40 is notched at 4| to seat on the upper margin of the partition 26 where, as previously stated, it is retained by'a single bolt 2| screw-threaded into an opening 42 which communicates with the liquid inlet conduit 22. The bolt is tubular for a considerable part of its length, having an axial bore at 43 leading to a cross bore 44 which opens into an annular groove at 45 through which liquid admitted through the supply pipe'23 may reach the distributing ducts 46 and 41 which lead to the respective valve chambers 48 and 49. These chambers are formed in the ends of the valve casings 39, each of which is provided with an annular valve seat near its discharge end.

The respective inlet valves 56 and 5| have convex portions oscillatably engaged withthe respective seats. The valves are preferably, though not necessarily, spheroidal. Each has an opening 56 from one side to the other, preferably taking the form of an annular groove, which, when the valve is preferably accomplished by locating the lever at one side of the frame casting 40 and lever 66 at the other, each lever being provided with an offset leg. Reference to Fig. 7 will disclose the fact that the offset leg 51 of lever 65 islo'cated at the back side of the casting, while the offset leg 58' of lever 66 is located at the front side of the frame casting 40. At each side of the frame casting 40 each of the levers 65 and 66 and its associated leg has arms projecting upwardly from its pivot pin. The relatively long arm 69 on each of the legs 51 and 58 is connected with the relatively shorter arm 10 on each of the levers 65 and 66 by a cross rod at 1|, such cross rods serving as anchorages for the tension: springs 12 and 13, respectively. The lower ends of the respective. springs are anchored to cross rods 59 and 60, fixed in the ears 6| and 62 of the fra-ine casting 4.0, as best shown in Fig. 6 and in Fig.. 8. In each instance the longer arms 69, respectively located at opposite sides of the frame casting 40;

carry pawls 15 which are pivoted to the respective arms and provided with chisel-shaped terminal teeth 16 (Fig. 6) for engagement with the ratchet crown gear 18 (Fig. 6 and Fig. 8). The pawlsare so formed as to be self-biasing toward operative engagement of their respective teeth 16 withsuccessive ratchet teeth of the ratchet gear 18, the latter being connected to the gear train of any suitable register such as that indicated generically at 28.

As either one of the bell crank levers 65 or 66 is moved upwardly or downwardly its anchorage rod 1| is caused to move across the center line represented .by its pivot 61 or 68,whereby the energy stored in the tension springs 12 or 13 completes with snap actionmovement the oscillation of the lever, whereby the lever overrunsto some degree the float bywhich it has been actuated, and at the same time. tends to snap the associated inlet valve either open or closed, as the case maybe, by the followingmechanism.

crank levers65 or 66..Reference has already beenmade to the fact that these bell crank levers Each of the levers 65 and 66 has anarm 63 projecting obliquely downwardly beside the associated valve casing. Extending laterally from each of the arms 63 are the spaced fingers and. 80, the fingers 64 being in each instance above the valve stems 53 and 54 and the fingers 80 being in eachlinstance below the valve stem .53. In the positionin whichfithe parts are i1- .lustrated throughout the drawings, with particular reference to Figs. and 6, the lever 66 is in: its uppermost position, having moved with a snap action to such position, overrunning its float and causingits lower finger 80 to engage the valve stem 54, thereby to oscillate the valve stem .into alignment with the valve casing axis to shut .offfiow. l

. 'In the. meantime, liquid is flowing from the. left hand chamber A of the meter, and float 33 therein is moving lever 65 downwardly toward the position where its tension spring 12 is about to cross the center line represented by pivot 61. In this intermediate position of the: parts neither I of the fingers 64 or 80 isengaged with the valve .stem 53. Finger has moved awayfrom the stem, andfinger 64 will engage the stem toopen' the valve with a snap action assoon as the movement of the float progresses far enough to .move the spring across center. t I

An outletchamber is provided at 83 (Fig. 5) in the bottom of the casting which forms the metering chambers A and B respectively. From the outlet chamber a pipe 84 leads to the point at which the liquid metered is tobe used. Screw l threaded into the bottoms of the respective metering chambers A and B, preferably in the restricted portions thereof near .thepartition, are the valve. seat fittings 85 through which liquid is drained from the metering chambers to the outglet chamber when the respective control valves The outlet valves 86 and 81 respectively are identical, each being .providedwith a stem 88 extending to a point, above the chamber casting l5 and there provided with acontrol spoolat 89.

The respective control spools are loosely engaged ;.by the outlet valve actuating lever 90 which is @pivoted at 9| to the frame casting (Figs. 6, '7

and 8), the lever 90 being provided with a center as best indicated in Fig. '7 and Fig. 8. r Atthe front side of frame casting 40, ,lever ,90,which interconnects the stems of the outlet valves 86 and 81, is provided with an upstanding arm 93 on thetop of which there are grooves 94 -..alternatively engaged by a spring-pressed ball 95 socketed in a forwardly projecting arm 961 of the frame casting (ill; and arranged to offer a certain amount of resistance to the pivotal movement oflever 9!] until sufilcient energy has been stored 1 to force the ball aside, whereupon it permits the snapaction movement of the lever to open one of the discharge valves, simultaneously closing the other, the lever coming to rest with the ball engaged in the othergroove 94.. In practice this 1 happens virtually instantaneously, since the discharge valves are not directly float actuated but earefactuated bythe impactof one of the. bell 33, the downward movement of the float being u the float assemblies are reciprocable. As the bell crank levers oscillate about their respective fulopeningsufficiently large to clear the casting 4U entirely and to pass along oppositesides thereof,

are, themselves, movable with snap action when the respective springs 12 or 13 cross center, thereby causing the associated lever to overrun the control disk 37 of the float, by which itfis being downwardly moved. When suchoverrun occurs, thepad 91 carried by lever 65 or 66 strikes the end of thelever 90, the resulting impact producing an immediate oscillation of lever 9|] to shifter reverse the positions of the discharge valves. i I l l The operation of the device is as follows:

Throughout the drawingsthe parts are illustrated in the same relative positions in which they appear in Fig. 5,: chamber A beingin process of being drainedand chamber B having already been filled.

l Starting at this point, the successive positions As the liquid needed by the device is withdrawn through pipe 84, the level of liquid in chamber A will gradually fall, thus lowering float communicated by collar .37 to bell cranklever 65. Reference has already been ,made to the fact that the specificconstruction of the device is calculated to improve its accuracy of performance by elimination of friction. It will be noted, by reference toFig. 3, that the ends of thelevers. 65 and 65 are offset to engagecollars 35 and 31 laterally adjacent the rods 36 and 32 on which crums, the relative movement betweenthe ends of these levers andthe respective collars .is accommodated by a bodily rotation of the respec-j tive float assemblies upon their respective guide rods. It has been found that this results in greatly improved accuracy as compared with any organization in whichthe end 10f thelleverwould be obliged to scrape frictionally across the collar, 5 as would be thecase if the arrangement didnot. permit the .free rotation of the float assembly to eliminate this source.of frictional resistance.

In the positions in which the parts are illus trated in Figs. 5 and 6 the float assembly hasalready somewhat lowered the bell crank lever 65 from its initial position. In the continued draining of, chamber A float 33 will reachits lowermostoperative position in such chamber .(at :which position the chamber will be assumed to be empty, even though it may have someresiduum of liquid therein); In the assumed lowermost position of the float the bell crank lever 65 V will have oscillated to a position where its upper spring anchorage. 69 will have moved the upper I ends of springs 121 across the center'linerepresented by pivot 67. i u

The result will be snap action movement of lever 6 counterockwi e ab u l s n vgt 9 t engage its pad or bumper 91 sharply with lever 9d, the resulting impact producing an immedi: ate oscillation of lever 90 to reverse the positions of the discharge valves, closing valve 86 and opening valve 81, this being the second position defined in the foregoing table. The downward" movement of. lever 65 has caused its finger portion 64 to open inlet valve 50, thus permitting immediate commencement of the operation of filling chamber A.

The filling of chamber A- is entirely independent of the draining of chamber B. Assuming the device to be connected to an oil burner or the like, the draining of chamber B may take hours or days. In the meantime. chamber A will be refilled in a few minutes to make its contents available" Whenever chamber B may be drained.

As chamber A becomes filled, the fioat 33 will rise therein and the collar 36 of the float assembly will ultimately engage the end of bell crank lever 65 to elevate the bell crank lever toward its extreme upper position (a position corresponding to that in which bell crank lever 69 is illustrated in the drawings). Shortly after the bell crank lever passes the position in which it is illustrated in Figs. and 6, but moving, this time, in an upward or. clockwise direction, the tension springs 1.2 will again be swung across center, with the result that the lever 65 will move sharply upwardly to its extreme position, leaving collar 36, in so doing. The movement of the bell crank lever in a clockwise direction to its extreme position actuates the register mechanismto show the amount of liquid just admitted to chamber A, motion being communicated to the register mechanism through the upwardly extending arm 89 of the bell crank lever and the pawl which is pivoted to the upper end of the arm and so weighted by its own form that its chisel tooth I6 is held against the ratchet 18 to advance this ratchet one tooth each time the lever 65 moves upwardly in a clockwise direction.

Meantime the upward snap action motion of arm 65 has caused its lower finger to engage the valve stem 53 to move the valve 50 to its centered and closed position. This is the third position of the foregoing table.

The closing of the valve results, with precision, when a specified quantity of liquid has been delivered into the chamber from the supply pipe 23 through the passage 22, the duct 43, the cross bore 44, the duct 46; the valve chamber 48, and the valve groove 56. In practice, calibration of the device might be achieved by the adjustment of. collar 36 to regulate the top level of liquid in the chamber, but it has been found equally satisfactory to adjust the more readily accessible collar 37 to determine the bottom level of liquid in the chamber. a

As above noted, the filling and the control 0 the filling of one chamber is entirely independent of the draining of the other.

The closing of discharge valve 85' of chamber A, and the opening of the corresponding discharge valve 81 of chamber B, place the contents.

As in chamber A, thefioat valve assembly rotates on the guide rod 32 to eliminatefriction between the lever and the collar.

Ultimately the float reaches its lowermost position where, as in chamber A, the lever 66 has moved angularly to a point such that the springs '13 have snapped across center, thereby causing lever 66 to leave collar 31 and advance sharply in a clockwise direction, its pad B'Istriking the underlying lever 99 clockwise, thereby closing exhaust valve 87 in chamber B to simultaneously open exhaust. valve 89' in chamber A. In the same motion the upper finger 64 of bell crank lever 66' has engaged the valve stem 54 of Valve 51* to oscillate valve 51 to its open position. This is the fourth position defined in the foregoing table.

All liquid supplied to the discharge line will now come from tank A. In the meantime a fresh supply of liquid will advance into chamber Bfrom the supply pipe 23 through the passage 22 in the partition and through the bore 43 of the bolt 2|. chamber. A, the same operation which closes the discharge valve in either chamber effects the opening of the inlet valve to such chamber. However, in each case, the closing of the inlet valve is independent of any other operation except the actuation of the register. As the float 34' rises with the rising level of liquid admitted to chamber B, the collar 36 which moves with- 'the float mechanism raises bellcrank lever.66

counter-clockwise until it reaches a point Where the springs 73 cause its continued movement with a snap action in a valve closing direction. The snap action with which lever 66 is advanced away from collar 36 to the position shown in Fig. i

closur 25 may, if desired, be vented as shown at 99 in my companion application 395,601, as the liquid does not rise above the top of partition 20 in this type or meter. The maximum liquid gavel is preferably below the tops of valve stems Accuracy of the meter is enhanced not only the relative simplicity and direct action of the control mechanism and by the elimination of friction, but also by the proportionately very large floats which substantially fill the enlarged terminal portions of. th respective metering chambers and are located ata considerable distance from the unitary control set mounted above the partition. The construction of the chambers adjacent the partition further contributes to accuracy of response since a very large proportion of the liquid admitted to each chamber is directly operable upon the float despite the relatively distant location of the float from the control set. Thus, not only is the float large but, due to its distance from the control set, it has considerable moment in acting upon the elongated arms and 6B.

I claim: I

1.. In a device of; the. character described, the

Thus, in chamber B, as in 2,see,sos

combination with means providing a reservoir and asupply head havingadischarge casing: opening into said reservoir, of a valve pivotally ,mounted insaid, casing foroperative oscillation;

between open and, closed positions and having a projecting operatormovable vertically, alever pivoted for movement respecting said headfin a vertical plane, a-fioatyoperable in said chamber and with whichsaidlever is engageab-le to receive motion from th float, snap action, means connected with said lever and adaptedflto bias said lever towardboth ,extrem tpositions, land means for transmitting motion directly from said 1 lever to saidvalve operator, said last named means providing for lost motion, wherebysaid operator is actuatedeither towardopen or its, closed position by' the final snapfaction movementof the lever.

2. In a device of the character described, the

combination with a reservoir and a} supply head of lever movement whereby to bias said levers toward their extreme, positions of, oscillation about their respective fulcrums, fingers connected with the respective levers and spaced above and below the stems ofthe respective valves, whereby to engage such stems and to actuate said valves during the spring-biased movement of the levers toward their respective extreme positions) and means for initiating the; movement of the respectivefleversand therebyto store energy in the respective springs for the independentcomple tion of lever movementsl j 5. Thedeviceof claim 4, inwhich Sam motion, ,initiating means constitutes in each chambera float provided with spaced lever engaging collars,

respectively engageable with the associated lever I duringnthe upward and downward movement of thefioatn 2o 1 provided with a discharge port leading to said reservoir and having a valve seat, of a valve of spheroidal [form oscillatable upon said seat and providedwith an opening adapted in the, oscillation of said valve to provide passage through said seat, said valv having a projecting operator and means constraining said operator for movement in a vertical'plane inltheoscillatio n of said valve between open and closed positions,

a float lever pivoted for movement in a verticalplane respecting saidhead, a spring extendingto each side of the fulcrum of said lever and providedwithan anchorage to said lever at one side of said fulcrum and with] another anchorageat the other side of said fulcrum, said spring const tuting sna action meansbiasing said lever, toward extremes of its movement, fingers connected with the lever andrspaced for engagement with the operator for the oscillation of said valve in, the spring-biased movement ,of saidlever toward itssaid xtreme positions, and float means in said reservoir for the actuation of saidlever.

V s. The device of, claim am which semen means has lost motion connections for the actuation ofsaid lever, whereby float inducedliniti ation of lever movement will move saidlever until said spring crosses said fulcrum, whereupon said lever is free to move in advanceoi float movement in the completion of lever movement to its extreme positions. I

4. In a device of the character described, the

combination with casing means providing separate metering chambers, oiasupply head provided with separate discharge portsleading to the respective chambers and each provided with a valve seat, spheroidal valves oscillatable upon the respective seats between open and closed positions, each such valve having anopening adapted in the open position of theivalve to provide passage through the seat, stems projecting from the respective valves and adapted for movement in vertical planes in the opening and closing movements of the valves,bel1 crank, levers pivoted to the head and respectively disposed atopposite sides thereof, each such lever having a yoke leg laterally offset and coaxially pivoted to the oppoe site side of the head, each lever and its associated of lever oscillation to move said operator's invalve opening and closing directions, snap action levers in intermediate lever positions, whereby said springs biassaid levers in each direction toward their extreme positions, float means in; I

said chambers provided with spaced lever actuating members in each chamber for the individf ual actuation of the respective levers movable tween its open and closed positions.

provided with astemand an, opening adapted in the open .valve position to afford passage through said seat an operating lever, provided with, a

fulcrum adjacent said casing upon which said leveris, movable between extreme positionspand a pair of fingers carried,intmutually spaced positions by said leverand adapted, in ,the' movement of said leverto its respective positions to engage said stem and thereby, to actuate said valve be- 7. v The device of claim 6, in which said lever provided with snap action meansbiasing it for movement toward its .saidy extreme ,positions, whereby the momentum of said lever is transmitted through the associated,..finger. for snap action operation ofi-theassociated]valvefinleach directionm I, v3 H 3 l I v 8. Ina device of thecharacterIdescribedp-the combination with housing meanshaving an intermediatepartition and metering chambers at 1 each side thereof,of a supply head provided with discharge passages leading to the respective chambers and each provided with a valve seat,

valvel means cooperative .with the respective seats and each including an operator movable in a vertical plane, levers pivoted to the respective heads oscillatable in vertical planes over the respective chambers, spaced fingers on said levers engageable with the valve operators in the course springs connected with the respective levers and positioned to move across the fulcrums of said over the respective chambers, and guides for the leg having an upwardly extending bell crank arm, a spring anchorage connectedacross said head between the bell crank arm of each lever and its associated leg, spring anchoragesfixed to said head, tension springs respectively connected between the bell crank anchorages and the I fixed anchorages aforesaid and movable across respective float chambers. I

9. The deviceoi claim 8, in which the respec tive guides are provided with peripherally spaced linear bearing surfaces upon which the respective float means are not only slidable but rotatable.

10. In a meter,,the combination with a metering chamber provided with a valved inlet and a valve movable between open and closed posi- 0 tions, of a valve :actuating lever provided with operative connections to the valve, a float hav- H the iulcrums of the respective leversinithe course 6.]In a, device of the character described, the, combination with a valve chamber providing [a l seat, of a spheroidalvalve bodyoscillatable upon the seat between open andclosed positions and means disposed in the respective g spaced lever engaging means ior'the transmission of float movement with lost motion to the lever, said lever projecting beside said ,means in an off center'position with respect to said float, and a guide upon which said float and lever operating means "is mounted for slicing and for rotative movement, said guide having longitudinally extending and peripherally spaced teeth and intervening clearance, and said *fioat and means having a generally cylindrical bearing contacting said guide only at the said teeth and rotatable as well as axially slidable upon the uide.

11. In a meter of the character described, the combination with casing means providing a meter chamber, of a supply conduit having a discharge port and seat for delivery into said chamber, a valve rockable upon said seat in a vertical plane of oscillation for -control of delivery through said port, said valve having a stem projecting through said port, a lever pivoted behind said valve and projecting beyond said valve over said chamber, a float mounted for upright reciprocation in said chamber and provided with spaced means directly engageable with said lever .for the oscillation thereof, means biasing said lever toward two extreme positions of movement, and spaced fingers connected with said lever and engageable with said valve stem in the course or lever-oscillation between its extreme positions, said lever being pivoted to oscillate in approximately the same plane in which said mounted upon said head and projecting in opposite directions' over respective chambers, said levers being movable approximately vertically in approximately the plan in which said stems are movable, spaced fingers carried by :each lever and engageable with the respective stems for th oscillation of said stems in the course of lever movement, and floats operable vapproximately vertically in the respective chambers and pro vided with spaced means engageable with the respective levers for individually actuating said levers for the direct oscillation of the respective stems.

13. The device of claim 12 in further combination with outlet valves tor the respective chambers, said chambers having ports with which said valves are associated, a lever pivoted valve and valve stem are rockably oscillatable,

whereby oscillation of the lever will oscillate the I stantially vertical planes, said valves projecting in opposite directions from said head and having exposed valve operating stems, levers pivotally to said head and provided with stem connections to the respective outlet valves, portions of said last mentioned lever being engageable by the individual levers first mentioned in predetermined directions of movement of said first mentioned levers, whereby motion is transmitted from the float operated levers to the lever which controls the discharge valves.

14. A meter of the character described, comprising the combination with casing means providing chambers with an intervening partition, of a supply head including discharge ports opening to the respective chambers, individual valves controlling flow through the respective inlet ports, each valve being provided with a stem, separate pivotally mounted levers projecting in opposite directions from the head across the respective chambers, float means in the respective chambers and into the path of movement of which the respective levers extend for operation of the levers from the float "means in both directions offloat movement and means on the re- :spective levers directly engaging the stems of the 

